Written Answers Monday 10 July 2006

Scottish Executive

Housing

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines were given to local authorities on the allocation of funds to applicants under the Private Sector Repair and Improvement Grants Scheme.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 sets out the general types of work that are eligible for grant. These grants are largely funded by Private Sector Housing Grant provided by Communities Scotland. This funding must be used for improving private housing, but it is for local authorities to decide priorities within their area when it comes to assessing individual applications for funding, in line with both local and national priorities. Local authorities have some discretion to determine the maximum cost of works upon which they will pay grant, either to set a maximum below the statutory limit of £20,000, or to seek ministerial approval to exceed that limit in individual cases. The amount of grant awarded to applicants is determined by a national test of resources set out in legislation, primarily the Housing Grants (Assessment of Contribution) Regulations 2003.

Local Government

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will identify the councils whose council leaders and/or chief officials have suggested that their councils should be merged with others and what steps it has taken to establish whether any such suggestions represent the views of either those councils or their local electorates.

Mr Tom McCabe: No Scottish councils have formally approached the Scottish Executive with proposals to merge with other councils. However, many councils across Scotland are looking into how they can work more closely together and integrate frontline and support services to benefit their communities and service users

Ministerial Costs

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26669 by Mr Tom McCabe on 19 June 2006, whether it has established from A&S Promotions what fee was charged by Bill Clinton for delivering the lecture at the Thistle Hotel in Glasgow on 10 May 2006.

Mr Tom McCabe: The main organisers of the President Clinton speech in Glasgow were A&S Promotions and, as such, all discussions with representatives for President Clinton relating to the event, including the fee, were taken forward by them. The Scottish Executive was not involved in the discussions concerning President Clinton’s fee and this is a matter for the event organiser.

Scottish Enterprise

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to ensure that Scottish Enterprise promotes strategies designed specifically for the needs of rural areas.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23635 on 4 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what energy costs were incurred by it and each public sector body in each of the last three years, showing year-on-year percentage changes and national totals.

Mr Tom McCabe: Energy costs incurred by the Scottish Executive in years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 and the percentage changes between years are as follows:

  

 Energy Type
 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Electricity
 Spend
£592,545
£562,946
£529,336
£915,205


 Difference from previous year
 N/A
 -£29,599
 -£33,610
£385,869


 Year-on-Year % difference
 N/A
 -5 %
 -6%
 73%


 Gas
 Spend
£131,963
£156,656
£261,209
£243,146


 Difference from previous year
 N/A
£24,693
£104,553
 -£18,063


 Year-on-Year % difference
 N/A
 19%
 67%
 -7%


 Liquid Fuel
 Spend
£18,618
£25,346
£54,652
£41,108


 Difference from previous year
 N/A
£6,728
£29,306
 -£13,544


 Year-on-Year % difference
 N/A
 36%
 116%
 -25%



  There has been a large increase in expenditure on electricity in 2005-06. This can be attributed to the fact that a two year fixed-price contract, which was set at a particularly low point in the market, expired in 2005-06. During the period of that contract energy markets were subject to a period of unprecedented volatility. Increases in oil and gas prices, political instability in key production areas and increased demand for energy all combined to force prices up. The Executive was protected from these changes during the period of the contract but the new contract which includes much increased rates reflects prevailing global market conditions.

  The energy costs incurred by other public sector bodies are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much VAT it paid in each of the last seven years and how much it claimed back for each year.

Mr Tom McCabe: The VAT paid and reclaimed since 1999-2000 is set out in the following table:

  

 Year
 VAT Paid
VAT reclaimedfrom HMRC(£)


To HM Revenue and Customs(HMRC)(£)
To Suppliers(£)


 2005-06
 1,353,369
 91,490,005
 64,528,351


 2004-05
 1,633,782
 84,675,268
 62,895,741


 2003-04
 3,246,756
 73,884,238
 55,187,710


 2002-03
 2,642,309
 54,865,075
 42,224,752


 2001-02
 3,112,959
 note 1
 29,524,674


 2000-01
 2,893,970
 note 1
 34,457,810


 1999-2000
 2,784,196
 note 1
 30,587,309



  Note: 1. The Scottish Executive implemented a new accounting system in December 2001 and the total amount of VAT paid to suppliers is not available from the previous system.

  These figures have been rounded to the nearest pound.